


cafe kihyun

by lovesaudade



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Slice of Life, Swearing, but i promise the fic isn't as shitty as the summary... hopefully???, i know the summary sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 07:33:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13002909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovesaudade/pseuds/lovesaudade
Summary: minhyuk's point of view on what the key moments of his relationship with kihyun is, described by your average cafe drinks' menu.





	cafe kihyun

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be like a spur of the moment drabble since the inspiration came from a time when i was hanging out in a cafe. but of course it just had to end up being longer than expected lol.
> 
> anyways, kihyuk rise. always.

_minhyuk's first meeting with kihyun compares to a warm cup of caramel macchiato._

 

minhyuk walks along a monotonous, endless aisle of a public library, located a couple of blocks from his apartment building. his purses his mouth in disdain at the sight of unfamiliar titles and authors as nothing was meeting his needs. he's slowly wasting his time—at least he had the decency to admit this adult reality—since he was supposed to start on his philosophy paper two hours ago. but his lack of knowledge of this 50-year old building is the sole reason why he can't start on anything.

he curses the existence of his professor for her stupid rule. _must have at least five book sources, she says. maximum of two internet sources my ass._ suffice to say that he is only aiming for the minimum page limit on this requirement.

minhyuk huffs out a distressed sigh, running a fingertip along the spines of a row of books, his dark brown eyes skimming enough to realize that these were all about western and southeast asian history.

the dark blue-haired student goes from one aisle to the other, not one single book had the word “philosophy” on it. somehow, he finds himself in the children’s books section, and his hand was itching to just grab the nearest book and just philosophize from there.

(he eyes a “where’s waldo?” activity book and already forms a rough outline about identity and individuality in his mind.)

just when his desperation is reaching its peak, he hears a shuffling of books and an occasional murmur to his side. minhyuk looks up and spots a short male with shiny grey hair a few feet away from him, one arm cradling a stack of books as the other arranges them on the shelf in front of him. minhyuk immediately notices the bold, black, _embroidered_ letters that spell “student librarian” on the back of his crisp white polo shirt, tucked into his perfectly fitted jeans.

he slightly feels sorry for the guy because _what kind of person willingly agrees to such job_ before deciding to avail of his services.

“excuse me?” he respectfully whispers.

he garners no response, so he tries once more, this time a little louder.

“hello? excuse me?”

again, nothing.

“hey, grandpa!”

his third attempt is futile, so minhyuk takes matters into his own hands. he purposefully takes long strides towards the young employee, tapping him thrice on the shoulder.

minhyuk watches the boy’s shoulders jerk up slightly before facing him.

he doesn’t want to sound too dramatic but minhyuk gets the wind knocked right out of him the moment his eyes met with the other’s upturned-shaped ones.

chocolate brown eyes stare back at him with a certain warmth pooling in them, and a cute button nose scrunches up in a way that can only be explained as a habit. but more importantly, soft, pinkish lips gradually stretch into a wide smile, with pearly white teeth nearly blinding him.

minhyuk hallucinates for a second into thinking that this is different from your average, customer service-friendly grin.

“can i help you?”

minhyuk swears he felt his eyes actually _twinkle_ at the other’s quiet, soothing voice. he faintly hears the boy repeat his question back at him again and soon realizes that he can’t be a dumbass this very moment.

“yes. i’m looking for books.” _welp, screw that plan._

the boy, with every right, laughs at minhyuk. “yes, because we’re in a library. i would be deeply concerned if you were here for something like dessert or a diamond ring.”

“is dissing your customers part of the job description?”

“only if i can assume that they can take it and dish it back to me.”

“and how did you assume such fact?”

“you look like the type to do so.”

“ah, so i’m your type?” minhyuk winks, completely unapologetic.

“the type, not my type, dear sir.”

“semantics should be a thing of the past, don’t you think?”

“you’re talking to a student librarian, what do you think my answer is?”

minhyuk thinks that they’re doing some classic flirting—in a library, minhyuk would’ve never thought this could be an actual thing—but he remembers why he was talking to this boy in the first place.

“anyways,” minhyuk starts, a hand scratching his nape nervously. for some reason he isn’t good at conversation transitions right now, “i really do need help finding books. philosophy books, i mean. i have a paper due in twenty-four hours.”

he sees the other’s smile soften at his inquiry, but remains sweet nonetheless. “i’m afraid that you’re on the wrong floor. i can take you to the right one, if you want?”

“yes please. i’d be lost without you. quite literally. it’ll probably take me the whole day to get out of here.”

the student librarian chuckles at his expense, and minhyuk lets it slide. he likes the warm feeling spreading inside his chest at the melodic laugh.

“okay, i’ll help you. i need to go to the same floor and return some of these books as well.” he shifts the small stack of books in his arms before leading the lost minhyuk.

the duo makes their way to the correct section, making small talk along the way. minhyuk learns that the boy’s name is kihyun, in the same year as minhyuk was but taking a different degree from his own, he loves great photography, a self-proclaimed best young chef in the country, and that he took this student librarian job because _he wanted to._

(minhyuk feels a quip on the tip of his tongue, but he’s not stupid enough to ruin this nice flow they currently have.)

by the time they arrive on the fourth floor, minhyuk’s lungs were on fire but _i can’t say anything next to this sassy cutie._ he trails behind the other to the farthest aisle from the stairs.

kihyun asks minhyuk what kind of philosophy books he was looking for, to which minhyuk just shrugs. the student librarian simply looks at him, an _are you fucking kidding me?_ stare that was too common to minhyuk (he is so sure he received those from his group of friends, and sometimes from the head of the theater arts department, the home department of his course, too). kihyun leads him through the aisle slowly, grabbing books left and right like a reflex before dropping them on minhyuk’s outstretched arms. the pile steadily grows, and he silently thanks whatever being up there for having kihyun give him books from familiar names: nietzshe, kant, camus, foucault, hume, arendt, freud, heidegger—

“kihyun, not to be rude, but i don’t think there’s a person on this earth who needs this many books for just one paper.”

the grey-haired boy doesn’t even spare a glance at him. “need i remind you again that i’m a student librarian? there’s no such thing as too many books.”

he places two more books on minhyuk’s stack. sartre and kierkegaard.

and that pretty much shuts up the struggling student.

only when they reach the big window at the end of the aisle did kihyun turn back to minhyuk. the dark blue-haired boy wills his arms to not shake under the weight of kihyun’s mountain of recommendations.

“so, uh, thanks again for all these books. i’m pretty sure i’ll get a decent grade for my paper with this much info.”

“you better. my pride is also at stake here.”

“we only met today, yet you’ve already wedged yourself into my academic life.”

“aren’t i just a wonderful friend?”

“sure, if wonderful friend could also help me carry these dead people’s works back to my table on the first floor.”

kihyun smiles apologetically, and something in minhyuk’s chest stirs once more. “sorry. i really do need to get back to returning these books. and these belong to the aisle nearest to the staircase.”

the student internally shushes his rapidly beating heart, convincing himself that kihyun was just a good student librarian, probably aiming for “student librarian of the month” for the nth time in a row (he hopes it’s real so that he doesn’t sound crazy). he bypasses the idea that kihyun could’ve just instructed him to go to this aisle and search for his own books instead of fully accompanying him.

_there are just nice, quality people in the world, that’s all._

“ah, of course, i’m sorry for having you stray away from your responsibilities.”

“it’s no big deal, wouldn’t want someone to get lost in a library, right? totally not weird and sad at all.”

“i don’t like your tone. it’s almost as if you’re mocking me.”

kihyun smirks. “almost?”

minhyuk lets out a small, carefree grin. the guy is already proving to be too much, but he kinda likes it.

“so, you’re good?”

“yeah. now i ask, in kind, for you to leave so that you won’t see me possibly drop all these books on this majestic building’s wooden floor ‘cause my arms will legitimately break under them.”

minhyuk watches kihyun lift a hand to his mouth, but he can deduce that he was hiding a smile underneath it.

with a small salute goodbye, kihyun leaves minhyuk to his own devices. the dark haired-boy cautiously makes his way back down to the first floor, one step at a time. he lets out a few mumbled curses under his breath, but had the sense of mind to quite down when he passes by a group of kids running up the stairs. _probably for their twilight and harry potter. as long as it’s not 50 shades…_

minhyuk finally, astoundingly, makes it back to his table. nothing stops him from unceremoniously dropping all the books on the wooden surface, blatantly ignoring the glares from all ages around him. they didn’t suffer at great lengths just like he did.

he does stretches for his sore arms while he eyes all the books he will read this fine late afternoon. his heart panics for a second at the time, but then he remembers, _minimum page limit_. his dark eyes scan every maroon cover but stills at the last two books, way more colorful than your normal philosophical works.

_the little prince? hope for the flowers?_

minhyuk pauses. blinks twice.

then, lets out a snicker.

_kihyun and his small, sneaky hands. at least he left me some decent children’s stories._

philosophy might be the bane of his existence right now, but minhyuk distinctly remembers that one lecture on Buber and how _love presupposes dialogue._

lo and behold, he had dialogue with a small, feisty, good-looking student librarian.

(love is strong word for a first encounter, but hey, it had to start somewhere.)

 

* * *

 

_minhyuk's day brightens up, even at the darkest of times, when kihyun does everything and anything to cheer him up, refreshing glass of lemonade._

 

since that fateful day back in the library, minhyuk and kihyun ended up being really good friends (minhyuk receives a higher mark on his paper than expected, much to his slight displeasure because he was now inclined to _thank_ kihyun, the egotistical gremlin).

as if the world finally acknowledges their blooming friendship, minhyuk would see kihyun around campus more, generally alone. a typical greeting for minhyuk to kihyun is when the former teases kihyun about having no friends, despite occasionally seeing him walk around with another boy, a fraction smaller with youthful eyes and honey brown locks. kihyun would either unashamedly hit him, or have an equally sharp-tongued retort.

every time kihyun makes minhyuk laugh, or even just by innocently—or usually, aggressively—touching him, the dark blue-haired boy experiences a tug in his heart and identifies the feeling as _affection_ , but immediately crushes the thought. he opts to just continue the banter instead. he may be occasionally dumb, and a whole lot reckless, but he knows his boundaries with feelings and to never cross them.

minhyuk’s original group of stares at him weirdly when he always wonders off alone. but by the fifth time, they casually wave him off and patiently wait for him to come back after hyungwon gets a brief glance of minhyuk putting kihyun in a painful bear hug one time; he reassures the rest of their friends that he’ll be fine.

minhyuk “formally” introduces kihyun when he meets up with his friends during their common break time—an angry kihyun on his back encasing him in a vice grip of a headlock—and minhyuk hates hyungwon’s approving stare and jooheon’s amused cackle. questions why he was friends with them in the first place. and once again, the world interferes and has kihyun fitting in quite well in their group: hyunwoo finds comfort that there was another parental figure, hoseok makes him a quality ramen dispenser, hyungwon sees him as a potential arm rest, and jooheon loves his new human-sized, huggable hamster plushie.

soon kihyun drags changkyun, the boy minhyuk always sees with him, and their little group of friends feels more complete than ever. minhyuk realizes that their group of five was better off as a group of seven, proving that the number really is lucky.

minhyuk thinks that the luck of the number sometimes blesses him, and ironically, it blesses him on a really bad day.

he gets scolded by one of his favorite professors because he forgot to send a soft copy of his paper after submitting a hard copy, which automatically gives him a failing mark. he also forgets that he had a test that was worth 20% of his final grade, so he came to class unprepared and had to bullshit his way through it. lastly, he gets caught under the pouring rain from going to one building to another, and forgets that hoseok borrowed his small umbrella a week ago.

so minhyuk sits outside the stone steps of the campus’ fine arts department, dripping wet as he waits for the rain to stop, since he wasn’t allowed to enter because _his dark, soaking aura will displease the staff members._

he feels the wrinkles by his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth will be permanently be on his face due to his scowl. he rakes a hand through his dripping wet locks as he lets out a disgruntled sigh, eyes intensely glaring at the darkish clouds looming in the sky; they were currently a bigger bane to his existence right now.

(in hindsight, he can’t really call his philosophy paper the bane of his existence when it was the main reason why kihyun in his life now.)

minhyuk thinks of gunning through it to go home, since he can’t do the extra credit work he was supposed to accomplish for the professor he disappointed hours ago. he also needs to attempt to start studying for another test two days from now, but concludes that he might not even focus for it because of his ruined mood.

he couldn’t contact any of his friends to pick him up, knowing that hyunwoo and hyungwon were training with their dance club, jooheon was already at his home writing for his music appreciation elective (minhyuk’s smart enough to know not to disturb the younger’s creative process), and hoseok and kihyun were accompanying changkyun for some grocery shopping. _that child can’t be left with adult responsibilities yet._

he zips up his soaked jacket, cringing at how the fabric squeezes out excess water into his fingers. patience being tested, he prepares to run through the bad weather when a presence appears in front of him.

“you look awful.”

“and you’re ugly, but you don’t hear me telling you that to your face.”

“you talk about it to hyungwon, though. be thankful that you’re still here breathing.”

minhyuk cracks the smallest of smiles at that. he glances up and sees kihyun holding up a white umbrella to shield him from the rain. he sees the concern in his friend’s eyes, and minhyuk feels warm despite the cold.

“what are you still doing here, kihyun?”

“just finished changkyun’s thing. him and hoseok both went home so i thought i could still catch you in campus.”

“i never told you where i was though?”

minhyuk watches the other shift his weight from one foot to the other, the small puddles underneath his soles splashing about. “hoseok told me that this is where your last errand would be. hasn’t bought a new umbrella yet so obviously he’s still using yours. so as always, i’m here to rescue you.”

minhyuk flicks a few drops at his friend, narrowing his eyes. “excuse me this is only the second time.”

“i’m two for two, that counts as always.”

the dark blue-haired boy sighs, the fatigue of the day catching up to him once more. acknowledging kihyun’s response with a nod, minhyuk drops his head in his hands, fingertips massaging his temples to relieve some tension. he hears a slight shuffle for a second and senses kihyun coming closer to him.

minhyuk gets startled when a small, dainty hand rests on his head, and lifts his head as a reflex—

kihyun is so _close_.

minhyuk can’t think of anything other than the word _pretty_ , and he feels even that can’t perfectly describe kihyun right now. his upturned eyes had the same warmth from the day they met in the library. his grin was small but held so much warmth, too. and suddenly, the clouds depart slightly for them, and a few golden rays grace kihyun’s grey locks, forming a halo on the top of his head. everything about kihyun right now is all about warmth—and minhyuk is privileged to bask in it.

just like the first time he met him, minhyuk is left breathless.

“hey, what’s wrong?”

minhyuk doesn’t get to answer immediately, words faltering as kihyun’s hand travels to the back of his head before traveling back up again. the gentle caress sends another layer of warmth over minhyuk, and he just wants to stay in this moment forever.

(he convinces himself it’s because of the cold, harsh day he’s had. but something deeper inside tries to persuade him otherwise.)

kihyun twirls a lock of his friend’s hair lightly. “minhyuk?”

“i just—it’s nothing.”

minhyuk’s eyes widen when kihyun waddles closer in his crouched position— _that is just the cutest shit, i hate him._

“you honest to god look like a drenched puppy, that’s not nothing.”

“kihyun, i don’t—”

minhyuk abruptly falls. falls in yet another coat of warmth, this time in kihyun’s embrace. he hides a surprised yelp on kihyun’s shoulder as he feels the other’s arm pull him deeper into the hug, the other hand still stroking his dark blue tresses.

he’s used to kihyun’s touches; their playful fighting always had room for pinches, slaps, and jabs. but this is the first time he finds himself in this situation. kihyun being genuinely _sweet_ to him, borderline _intimate_ even.

minhyuk shivers at the thought, and kihyun just hugs him tighter.

“today was hard.”

kihyun just hums, fingers deftly moving in between minhyuk’s hair in comfort.

“i had a rough day. nothing went right.” minhyuk mumbles, getting a little bit teary-eyed.

the blond haired-boy pulls back and his hand transfers from minhyuk’s head to his cheek, eyes glowing with understanding. running the pad of his thumb twice across minhyuk’s cheek, he wipes an escapee tear before whispering, “you hungry?”

minhyuk tilts his head in confusion, just a tad bit lost.

“come on, i know a place where they serve delicious jjamppong. i’ll even pay for it.”

minhyuk consciously wipes his nose, a little shy from the other’s kind act.  “you don’t have to, i’ll be fine.”

“the thing is, i want to. it looks like really you need it. and a friend to accompany you, too.”

minhyuk bites his lip anxiously when he feels his heart skip a beat or two before nodding with slight hesitance.

kihyun nods back and places a kiss as light as a feather on the small space between minhyuk’s eyebrows— _bitch holy mother shit fuck what was that i can’t believe he—_ “stop worrying with your pretty little head and let’s go, there won’t be a lot of people at the restaurant if we leave now.”

both boys stood up from their place and minhyuk almost falls due to the slippery steps. kihyun hastily grabs minhyuk’s hand to help him find his balance once more before leading him down the short flight of stairs.

minhyuk waits for kihyun to grab his abandoned umbrella, opening it above their heads as they leave for their next destination.

after a minute of waking, kihyun speaks up, his tone as soft as the drizzle around them. “hey, tomorrow’s a new day, just focus on that.”

minhyuk nods timidly, steadily getting more embarrassed from his emotional episode in front of his friend.

“minhyuk,” kihyun calls out, shaking their interlocked hands in between them before giving the other’s a consoling squeeze, “it may have rained today, but it doesn’t mean that the sun won’t shine again.”

the other boy says nothing, opting to squeeze kihyun’s hand back instead.

(though the day isn’t over, minhyuk’s mood significantly got brighter; the sun came a little earlier than expected in the form of one yoo kihyun.)

 

* * *

 

 _minhyuk’s nerve-wracking confession turned out to be not so nerve-wracking at all, it’s as if he was sipping from his usual iced americano_.

 

months have passed and minhyuk grows fonder and fonder over kihyun. he notices the small changes in between them. the usual banter is still ever present, but minhyuk catches himself softening his own gaze after kihyun’s every whine, every comeback, every laugh—just every little kihyun thing he does.

he is terribly close in reaching his boundaries, the one he promised never to cross, and thinks that _maybe these developing feelings aren’t so bad. maybe i have a chance?_

at least that’s what he hopes for. because he’s currently hovering over the idea of confessing. it’s just that his daily inner struggles are far more dominant.

one can never really tell if the object of your affections feels the same way, that they would make you feel a tad bit more special than others.

not when kihyun lends minhyuk his favorite scarf, but hands a hot pack to changkyun during a particularly cold day. not when kihyun pets and plays with minhyuk’s hair, but grooms jooheon’s when he has a class presentation. not when kihyun treats minhyuk out for ice cream, but buys two pieces of candy for hyungwon before leaving. not when kihyun wraps minhyuk in a comfy duvet, but offers all the pillows to hyunwoo during their friends’ movie marathon night. not when kihyun always leans on minhyuk whenever he gets the chance, but cuddles hoseok whenever he asks for them.

the clichéd _he likes me, he likes me not_ plays in minhyuk’s head whenever he’s with kihyun, and now the dark blue-haired boy finds the determination to figure out the real answer. he promises himself that no matter what happens, minhyuk will accept it.

(that’s a lie, minhyuk plans to ship himself to a remote country with no internet or cellular access, join a tribe, and start a new life as a sheep herder if kihyun rejects him.)

minhyuk’s personal judgement day lands on their group’s three-day trip to the beach. they travel via hoseok’s van, him and hyungwon taking turns on the wheel while hyunwoo permanently sits on the passenger’s seat (he’s the only one who’s polite and responsible enough to stay awake with the driver), the youngest ones jooheon and changkyun takes their place in the middle seats along with the one who’s not driving, while kihyun and minhyuk occupies the back seats.

kihyun sleeps on minhyuk’s shoulder during most of the trip, and of course minhyuk takes his chance to wrap an arm around the other’s waist, leaving the grey-haired boy curled up against him. he wants to make the most out of their time before minhyuk confesses and, possibly, _book his ticket for the earliest flight to mongolia._

once they arrive at their rented beach house—three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a patio and a grilling area by the entrance—they quickly settle in before changing into their swimwear, dashing towards the sea as fast as their bare feet could take them.

seven boys splashing one another as the sun descends behind them; each of their smiles rivals the bright rays that hit their handsome faces. but if one looks closer, one would see minhyuk’s smile is a touch brighter, a bit more _loving_ when he catches kihyun face flushed with laughter, being the personification of _happiness._

as the moon and the stars fall upon the group of friends, they sat around a bonfire built by the seashore, courtesy of hoseok and changkyun. their outside dinning area where they had their grilled meat dinner cooked by kihyun, was left spotless, cleaned by kihyun as well (and okay, minhyuk _kind of_ stepped in to get into kihyun’s good graces, too). everyone is bundled up with their respective blankets around the fire as they eat some traditional roasted marshmallows and s’mores to warm them up in the chilly night, childhood stories and embarrassing moments being shared among them.

minhyuk and kihyun slowly exclude themselves from the group conversation, simply entering a world of their own.

“how are you doing, little one?”

“i’m itching to kick you, tall, ostentatious one.”

“who the fuck uses ‘ostentatious’ on a daily basis?”

“obviously not you, bet you can’t even spell it.”

minhyuk laughs. “it’s not like i need to know in order to live my life.”

kihyun leans over, tilting his chair to the side to reach his friend’s ear. “you can get a boyfriend by being smart, you know?” he smirks before leaning back again.

minhyuk chuckles again, using all his effort to hide his nerves from slipping out. “is—is that why you chose to be a creative writing major? for the books?”

“not really, i genuinely do love books. it’s a good thing that i found a degree that complements that. but yeah, if i do date someone, i’d probably nag him into having reading dates with me.”

“reading dates? like reciting your favorite lines to each other before going to bed? buying your favorite books and give them to each other as a tradition for christmas?”

kihyun suddenly smiles, and minhyuk gets even more nervous.

“what? why are you smiling like that?”

“well,” kihyun grins even wider, he even scoots his chair closer to minhyuk’s, no space visible between them now, “i was just thinking about hanging out in the library during my break times, but those sound way better.”

minhyuk can’t fully explain it, but something relatively close to _hope_ grows in his chest from the way kihyun was looking at him.

kihyun changes his sitting position, folding a leg under him and turning his body so that he faces minhyuk completely. “hey, lee minhyuk?”

“yes, yoo kihyun?”

“why haven’t you confessed to me yet?”

“bitch what—” the dark blue-haired boy nearly yells, if not for his quick sense to clamp both of his hands over his mouth.

kihyun’s eyes turn into slits as he throws his head back in laughter, clapping his hands loudly.

minhyuk, on the other hand, experiences a whirlwind of emotions, and he can’t seem to concentrate on one. _i should be thrilled, right? or am i misunderstanding this? is he playing a prank? oh god what if he is? my heart is shattering as it is. bless the person who created online booking, after everyone goes to sleep, i’ll get my ticket, cry for an hour on my pillow—_

“come on, it was just an honest question.”

_—before taking hoseok’s van to go back home, i’ll just be extra careful not to drive it off a cliff. they have hyungwon and kihyun as bait to hitchhike—_

“you are hilariously obvious, but i would still want to hear it directly from you.”

_—shit wait he’s still talking. i’ll finish my planning my new life later then…_

“minhyuk, i can practically hear your thoughts in your head. don’t make me throw you into the fire so that you can lighten the fuck up.”

minhyuk feels the warmth he is so accustomed to; the warmth that’s more comforting than the blanket he’s enveloped in, more overwhelming than the endlessly flickering blaze next to them.

nothing can beat the warmth emanating from kihyun, from his hands that are against minhyuk’s cheeks, to the warmth that swirls in the brown pools of his eyes.

“minhyuk,” kihyun starts, voice blending well with the soft crashing of the waves from their surroundings, “do you like me?”

in an instant, minhyuk feels the weight of the world off his shoulders. he’s breathing a whole lot easier. he’s aware at what _he sees in kihyun’s eyes._ it was all there: longing, fondness, and just _that warmth again._

but despite the gravity of the situation, he notices the absence of nerves or the rapid beating of his heart. not because he was disappointed nor was the situation very anti-climactic—he was _fucking elated at this plot development_ —but because everything now feels like _right._ like it really was just _meant to be._

and really, all minhyuk could say was, “i like you.”

“see? was that so hard?” kihyun teases, pecking minhyuk’s nose hastily.

minhyuk copies kihyun’s sitting position in his own chair, bringing up his hands to grab kihyun’s before burying them under his blanket. “nope, relatively easy, actually.”

“i had to coax you through it, remember that.”

“a confession, no matter how it was done, is still a confession. let me have this moment, please.”

kihyun beams, and minhyuk just falls for him even more. “then take it.”

he does without hesitation, taking the moment right from kihyun’s lips with his own.

(thank god the rest of their friends left way before this, as hyunwoo ushered the others back into the beach house after hoseok made an _i wanna watch their kdrama unfold_ comment.)

 

* * *

 

_minhyuk's craving for kihyun is delicious, sinful; it comes close to a dark chocolate latte._

 

one of their date nights run a little longer than usual. a few extra bottles of soju courses through both of their systems, leaving nothing but an insatiable desire between the two—a desire they desperately want to act upon the moment they arrive in kihyun’s abode. 

the alcohol makes them cheekier as minhyuk nibbles on kihyun’s earlobe, uttering mischievous comments there were only reserved for him. it makes them bolder as kihyun trails his hand from minhyuk’s chest down to his belt buckle, clutching the metal clasp in his hand before pulling them deeper into the house.

after a quick detour to the kitchen to drink a couple of glasses of water (even with the intense sexual tension, kihyun still wants both to remember their first night together. more importantly, full consent is respected in his house), the two find themselves in kihyun’s room, finally succumbing into their needs.

they fall on the bed, a breathy laugh escapes kihyun’s lips and minhyuk revels in the sound. he takes a few moments to just admire the other boy and couldn’t honestly think of anything more attractive than how he looks now: grey locks spread out against the white pillow, eyes hazy with hints of lust and yearning, partly opened shiny lips that let out short huffs of breath.

he captures the other’s lips in a sensual dance, fingertips working diligently at kihyun’s button-up top. minhyuk chuckles against kihyun’s mouth when he felt the smaller do the exact same thing to his shirt. the dark blue-haired boy easily discards both of their shirts before working on both their pants and underwear at the same leisurely pace, winning a battle against his greedy, impatient mood.  

now both in their naked glory, minhyuk is excited to ravish kihyun—ready to make kihyun feel the sweetest of sensations.

after a couple of teasing kisses and even more teasing touches, minhyuk presses his thumbs on kihyun’s sides, the tip of his condom-covered length already touching kihyun’s prepped entrance. “you ready?”

like always, kihyun cradles minhyuk’s face in his hands and pulls him closer, a hair’s width between their lips. “more than i’ll ever be, especially if it’s with you.”

minhyuk displays the most caring smile before kissing him tenderly, finally sliding in and making him and kihyun one.

it all starts out slow and sweet, but after an hour the night is painted with zealous lip locks and wanton moans, kihyun writhing under minhyuk and his ministrations, and minhyuk just whispering _beautiful, beautiful, beautiful_ on every inch of kihyun’s glistening skin. kihyun’s cries of pleasure and desperate demands were minhyuk’s rewards, and he has no qualms fulfilling every single one of them.

“minhyuk,” kihyun gasps, “i’m close—"

“open your eyes, let me see them.”

kihyun obeys, and the constellations in his eyes drives minhyuk to move faster, harder than before. he wants kihyun to see the stars, too, and he will do _everything_ to take him there, as well. 

“fuck, you really are so goddamn beautiful.”

“min, please...” he whimpers.

minhyuk moans at the tone before crashing his lips against kihyun’s, thrusting his hips more erratically. “i got you, ki, i got you.”

kihyun reaches his high a minute before minhyuk does, and it gives the latter enough time to imprint the sight of kihyun experiencing his peak from the utmost euphoria. it was more than enough to send minhyuk over the edge, moaning out his boyfriend’s name against his shoulder.

they’re both spent as the room basks in their musky scent. minhyuk feels so blessed to see kihyun glowing from the aftermath of their activities. minhyuk looks down at where kihyun laid his head on his chest, treasuring the sleepy smile instilled on the other’s lips before showering his forehead with affectionate pecks.

minhyuk then nuzzles his nose against kihyun’s slightly damp hair, and selfishly thinks that he would never let anyone see or taste kihyun the way he did tonight.

kihyun languidly swipes his tongue against minhyuk’s bare chest, making small, random shapes before seductively whispering, “so, round two?”

minhyuk barely finishes his nod and chuckle before kihyun climbs on top of him and traps him in another heated kiss _._ but minhyuk, who would never complain about his boyfriend’s _energy and persistence,_ fists kihyun’s hair while he grinds his hips against the other’s in perfect sync.

(they go on round after round after round. minhyuk shocks himself when he was the one to tell kihyun that they should go to sleep already; he knew that kihyun had an early shift at the library, after all.)

 

* * *

 

_minhyuk and kihyun's biggest fight to date is a harsh double shot of espresso, one to minhyuk's conscience and the other on his heart._

 

at some point, minhyuk’s relationship finally gets through its honeymoon phase. now, he faces the real hardships of a relationship. and frankly, he wasn’t completely prepared for it.

in all relationships, not everyone is perfectly compatible with their partners. compromises, more often than not, are made so that a relationship stays grounded. otherwise, problems will continue to build and build and build, until it reaches its breaking point.

minhyuk believes that him and kihyun seamlessly supplemented each other. they were always there for each other and neither one of them has disappointed the other, too. but after being together for quite a while, minhyuk understands more and more on how kihyun works, and he starts to realize some kihyun things just didn’t perfectly _fit with him._

minhyuk knows that kihyun is protective over the people he holds dear to his heart. he loves it when he is the recipient of kihyun’s very caring nature, but feels slightly uncomfortable when the other still dutifully dotes on their other friends as well. sure it was okay when they weren’t dating yet, but things are _different_ now, minhyuk expects that kihyun would turn it down a notch with the pampering, but it wasn’t the case.

if anything, minhyuk sees that everyone gets the same treatment as he does, sans the actual kissing. and he gets quietly frustrated whenever kihyun would leave his side to take care of another. as miffed as he is, minhyuk refuses to tell kihyun about this problem because it would just create unnecessary conflict for the couple. he is ready to do some small sacrifices for the good of their relationship.

but minhyuk snapped tonight after kihyun was telling him about how he spent a long time assisting hyunwoo to get to the hospital and then to his own home after injuring his knee, explaining the reason why kihyun requested their date to be a home-cooked dinner date rather than minhyuk’s well-planned shopping, movie, and dessert bar date.

“great to know that he’s the reason why our date plans were forced to change.” minhyuk is aware of the bitterness in his tone, his pissed off mood now making him brave enough to throw a little shade in kihyun’s direction.

“what’s that supposed to mean?”

“nothing, nothing. i’m surprised that you’re here having dinner with me instead of catering to hyunwoo’s every need.”

“what are you talking about?” kihyun gapes at his boyfriend, “are you actually complaining that i still made you dinner after how exhausting this day has been?”

minhyuk sneers. “that’s one way to put it.”

“i’m so confused. please explain to me what’s the problem, min.”

“i’d rather not, that’s what’s keeping this relationship alive and well anyways.” minhyuk mutters offhandedly.

kihyun arches an eyebrow in disbelief, and a small voice in minhyuk’s head tells him that he just _fucked something up._ “is there something you’re not telling me?”

 _filter it out, you can still save this from being a mess._ “it’s nothing important, ki, just let it go.”

“i don’t think this is something i can just let go, what’s keeping our relationship alive and well, hmm?”

“forget it, ki, i’m not—”

“minhyuk, damn it, just tell me! tell me something! anything!” kihyun screams, a hand slamming on his dinner table.

“how about never mentioning it ever again? that makes things a whole lot better, don’t you think?”

“you did it before! remember, at the fine arts department?”

“that was months ago, and things were different back then. we weren’t dating.”

“so what? what does our relationship have anything do with you keeping things from me? how is not telling me anything make things better?” 

“to prevent this!” minhyuk waves his arms between them, “i don’t want to fight with you like this, kihyun!”

“we could’ve avoided this fight if you just talked to me—”

“like that would still stop us from fighting. now, this conversation is over.” minhyuk stands up, squares his shoulders before walking towards kihyun’s front door.

“you can’t run away from your problems, you know!”

minhyuk turns back and musters up his deadliest glare. “watch me.”

he bursts through the door of kihyun’s home, slamming it angrily behind him stepping under the rainy night. minhyuk carelessly runs to get back home, tears dropping fast enough that it camouflaged well with the heavy drops of rain hitting his face. he was angry, so, so angry, at what just occurred. the farther he runs from kihyun’s house, the more he realizes how _wrong_ he was; that he should’ve listened to kihyun and just fix things together instead of avoiding it like a coward. he has never felt pain like this, and he absolutely hates it that it was brought upon by his stubbornness and childishness. _was his self-interest worth more than kihyun?_

with the way minhyuk acted, he’s deathly afraid that kihyun would actually end their relationship.

(his mind briefly goes back to his own argument about how he should’ve kept quiet to avoid the said fear, but destroys the thought immediately. the small voice in his head criticizes him for even thinking about it.)

minhyuk arrives in front of his apartment building but doesn’t take the few steps he needs to get inside. he lets the rain engulf him as the guilt fully creeps in. he shouldn’t have left kihyun like that, he shouldn’t have snapped at kihyun, too. maybe he doesn’t really deserve another chance from kihyun—

something grabs his shoulder and forcibly whips him around. his eyes widen when he sees a drenched kihyun, a scornful look evident on his face. “kihyun? i—”

“even if you don’t want to fight with me, i still wanna fight for you, you ass.” the smaller states, panting a bit after every other word.

the guilt in minhyuk’s heart doubles. “did—did you run after me?”

“i did. first of all, fuck you for going out when it’s raining buckets out. i forgot to bring an umbrella with me ‘cause i had to rush after you. second of all,” he grabs the taller’s collar with both hands, shaking him a bit. “you shouldn’t run away like that, not from me.”

minhyuk looks down at the muddy grass they were standing on, unsure on how to make the situation better.

“for someone who usually doesn’t know how to shut the fuck up, you sure suck at communicating your feelings.”

if it was any time other than now, minhyuk would’ve laughed. instead he feels another pang of guilt in his chest.

“you listen to me and you listen well. we’re not supposed to hide things from each other, especially if it’s something that hurts or bothers either one of us. we need to talk about things like that, otherwise we’d both end up unintentionally hurting each other, and that’s the last fucking thing i wanna do to you.”

minhyuk dares to peek at kihyun, eyes going from the other’s bangs that were stuck on his forehead, to his eyes that were full of fire.

“and i get it. i can tell why you want to avoid any kind of fight between us. but minhyuk, every couple has their fights every once in a while. and when it comes to it, you’re not supposed to literally and figuratively run away.”

“it’s just that,” minhyuk eyes shifting at every drop of rain around them. “i don’t wanna hurt you. i don’t want to say the wrong things and make things worse.”

kihyun nods, his grip on minhyuk loosens slightly. “i appreciate that, i really do. but you gotta say what’s on your mind. i wouldn’t want you to suffer alone. i could’ve saved you from all the hurt if i knew what you were feeling.”

minhyuk feels a new batch of tears surfacing on his eyes. _he’s too good to me, way too patient._

“a relationship is all about growth. i want to keep learning more and more about you. and i hope that you do, too.” minhyuk feels the familiar warm hand on his cold, damp cheek. “but you can’t lock things up and run away anymore. just please… stay. no more running”

the rain gets a little stronger, but minhyuk catches kihyun’s soft plea loud and clear.

“stay with me. stay with me and we’ll work things out together, okay?”

minhyuk presses his lips against kihyun’s forehead before whispering through the rain. “okay. i will, i promise.”

“good.” is all what kihyun says before he wraps his arms around the taller’s shoulders and hugs him as close as possible.

the crack in the other’s voice doesn’t go unnoticed by minhyuk, and he instantly wraps his arms around his smaller boyfriend’s frame, protecting him as much as he can from the downpour.

“i’m sorry for making you go through our first fight like this, min.” kihyun murmurs against minhyuk’s neck.

“no, don’t be. it looks like we really needed it.”

“i’m also sorry for making it seem like hyunwoo was more important than you. i guess that’s where your anger is stemming from, me taking care of the others like how i take care of you.”

“you got me there, ki.” minhyuk softly jokes, heart slightly getting lighter when kihyun lets out a small chuckle. “come on, i should get you inside and put on some warm, dry clothes on you. and yes, you’re sleeping over tonight.”

the grey haired-boy pulls away to nod at the suggestion, a tiny grin appearing on his lips.

(only after they both showered and got ready for bed did minhyuk realize that he didn’t properly apologize to his boyfriend. he thinks that he should do it first thing in the morning after seeing kihyun knocked out on his bed, balled up under his covers.)

 

* * *

 

_minhyuk's apology is straight to the point—a simple, a cup of tea, if you will._

 

it’s exactly what he gives to a puffy eyed, bed-ridden kihyun, who apparently caught a cold and sore throat from last night’s weather. minhyuk is lucky enough to be spared from this suffering.

surely a warm cup of delicious chamomile will suit well as a peace offering, a sincere act of contrition along with his heartfelt apology.

kihyun throws all the balls of used tissue at minhyuk first before genuinely forgiving his boyfriend the second time.

(the first time was the moment minhyuk whispered an apology against his forehead last night. he didn’t say the words “i’m sorry” outright, but he just knew it’s what he meant.)

 

* * *

 

_minhyuk's first i love you is as sweet as his favorite hot chocolate, with an extra serving of fluffy marshmallows._

 

“you know what i’m craving for?”

“attention and validation?”

minhyuk places a hand on his bare chest in a dramatic fashion, turning his head where kihyun laid next to him. “you really are a man after my own heart.”

kihyun, with his own shirtless self, drapes himself over his boyfriend’s torso. “oh shush. now, you were saying?”

“oh right, i have a serious craving for marshmallows.”

“min, don’t you dare ruin your appetite before our lunch with the guys.”

“are you telling me that your appetite is not ruined after we fooled around—”

a hand lands on minhyuk’s mouth, and minhyuk happily eyes the faint blush on kihyun’s cheeks. “too many words coming from your mouth.”

minhyuk easily grabs kihyun’s hand with his own, intertwining them as he lazily kisses each of his knuckles. “says the one who’s gets really vocal when i went down on you—”

“okay, i’ll get your marshmallows!” kihyun yelps, scrambling through the layers of blankets, getting out of the bed in his form fitting, navy blue jeans. _nice. very, very nice._

minhyuk pulls kihyun back into bed, his boyfriend's back completely pressed against his chest. “don’t go, i’m not done teasing you.”

the smaller boy twists and turns in his arms, but minhyuk just holds him tighter.

he places a sweet kiss on the back of kihyun’s ear before nudging it lightly with his nose. “you’re adorable.”

“and you’re annoying.” kihyun sighs, but no resentment in his tone.

“and you know what else i am?”

kihyun simply replies by snuggling in his boyfriend’s warmth.

“i am in love with you, ki.”

minhyuk senses kihyun taking a deep breath, the way his chest expanded against his arms. he relaxes his arms when kihyun started to turn around in his hold, eyes wide in shock and lips parted with a hint of a smile.

“what was that?”

“i am in love with you.” he repeats with the cheekiest eye smile. “was it too much? should i have just said “i love you” instead?”

“wait a minute how are you so casual about this—” he doesn’t finish the question when minhyuk swoops in for an innocent kiss.

“wait, shut up for a second.” minhyuk traces the different curves he finds on kihyun’s face, taking in great details all the little things he loves about the boy. _i love the bridge of his nose, i love his hamster high cheekbones, i love his adorable cupid’s bow. i just love him._

“what are you doing?” kihyun asks with a tender smile.

“admiring my boyfriend. the boyfriend that i love.”

“you are being oddly sweet today.”

“i’m always sweet.” he ducks his head to get another kiss from the other. _can’t get enough._

“i know, but,” kihyun giggles, “more than usual. is this why you were craving for marshmallows?”

this time, two kisses. “i had to segue way somehow.”

kihyun shakes his head in playful disbelief, running a free hand through minhyuk’s messy locks. “you’re unbelievable, you managed to connect marshmallows and an i love you—”

“finally, ki! i love you, too”

“hey!” kihyun smacks minhyuk’s chest repeatedly, only speaking up again when minhyuk successfully grabs both of his wrists to stop his attack, “you can’t just cut me off like that! i didn’t say it properly!”

minhyuk soften his gaze at the sight of an embarrassed kihyun. “we have enough time for you to say it back properly.”

“enough time, huh?”

“i know we do. i won’t run away anymore, remember?”

kihyun scrunches his nose but gives his boyfriend a kiss this time. “you’re such a sap, it’s almost sickening. maybe you really do need those marshmallows.”

“no need,” minhyuk whispers, effectively surprising kihyun when he adjusts their position where kihyun is laying underneath him, “i got something sweeter.”

minhyuk admires kihyun for another second, just because _he can,_ before closing the gap between them. kihyun’s lips reciprocate eagerly, and with every press of their lips, the kiss—and their time together—becomes more and more of minhyuk’s sweet addiction.

(they arrive late for their lunch with their friends, but minhyuk thinks it’s worth it when after a round of sex, kihyun whispers an “i love you so much” by his collarbone, dotted by kihyun’s proud, love hickeys.)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, also can you guys tell that i can't write smut lol (well, maybe it's also because i wrote it sober even if a friend told me i should try writing it tipsy/drunk)
> 
> also yes!!! no writing style consistency yet again!!! i think i'll never have one based from my published works so far!!!
> 
> kudos, comments, and constructive criticisms are welcomed and appreciated! you may also reach me via twitter: @kihyukssi. thank you!


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